BAGUIO CITY – The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance allocating the spaces in front of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Baguio City chapter office building along Harrison road for parking, entry and exit of its ambulance units and clients availing of its services.
The proposed ordinance aims to establish designated parking, entry or exit for the ambulance units of the PRC Baguio City chapter to facilitate timely access to emergency services and to prevent obstruction of emergency response.
It added that the entire area, with the exemption of the sidewalks, fronting the PRC Baguio chapter office building along Harrison road shall be designated as parking space for the ambulance units of the said organization and other duly registered vehicles of the PRC and clients availing of its services.
Further, the designated parking spaces shall be clearly marked with appropriate signages.
The body adopted certain parking regulations to ensure control, promote safety and for efficient use of the designated parking spaces such that only the authorized and duly registered ambulance units of the PRC and their clients availing of services may park; no person shall park or leave a vehicle in the designated area without proper authorization and vehicles of clients availing of the services shall be for the duration of the provision of the services.
The ordinance tasked the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the City Engineering Office–Traffic and transportation management Division (CEO-TTMD) to strictly enforce the pertinent provisions of the proposed measure.
Moreover, the said offices were directed to conduct an ocular inspection of the spaces to be delineated and to be marked for the said purpose. The markings shall be implemented by the CEO-TTMD pursuant to the standards set forth by existing laws, rules and regulations.
The ordinance stipulated that the city government recognizes the critical need for accessible and safe parking for emergency vehicles, particularly ambulances to ensure prompt response, to enhance public safety and for the efficient operation of emergency medical services.
The PRC Baguio City chapter passed Resolution No. 03-201 requesting the city government to designate the spaces fronting its office along Harrison road as reserved area for the ambulance units of the organization.
On August 23, 2010, the council passed Resolution No. 189, series of 2010 requesting the BCPO to make the area fronting the PRC Baguio City chapter office along Harrison road always open for the group’s two ambulance units. By Dexter A. See
